The Day My Life Changed
by Minx The Shadow Thief
Summary: All I was, was an orphan, until that letter came, and my life changed forever.
1. Prologue

((AN: Hi, so, I'm branching out a bit from my norm. For those who don't know me, I have co-written and written several Fantastic Four stories with a friend who wanted to post them up but didn't have an account. Well now, out of a sheer lightning to the brain idea I have written this prologue in hopes someone will like it. Please do review and tell me what you think. I know it's a little vague, but everything will be revealed in time, if people like it...enjoy.))

Prologue

I had learned at a young age that I was different. I had jet black hair, extremely pale skin and ruby red eyes. Not something every child in the world sported. This is when my life changed. For better or worse, I don't know.

I sat on my orphanage bed and stared out into the dreary English weather outside my window. I had just turned eleven. Even at only eleven years old I was very wise. I knew when not to speak; it was almost all the time. I knew when not to be seen, always. I wasn't wanted where I was living and I knew it.

I turned my head slowly to the door as it opened without a knock. Mrs. Denver walked in, her thin lips were pursed tightly and in her pudgy hands she clutched a parchment letter. I couldn't see much of the writing though I could tell it was very ornate.

"Tabitha, it's for you, from some school." She said in her normal thick Scottish accent. She walked over quickly dropped the letter on my bed and moved quickly from the room, slamming the door, intentionally or not, behind her.

I picked up the heavy envelope and read the calligraphic lettering.

_Tabitha Morgana Ruben. Room 9. Little Yorkshire Orphanage._

_1783 Cherry Grove Lane. Chestnut Ridge. Yorkshire, England._

'That's odd…' I thought, turning the letter over to see it sealed with wax. I pried it open and pulled out several more sheets of parchment. The first was an introductory letter. I read it out loud to myself.

"Dear Tabitha, we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted as a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

I read the first line over and over. That couldn't be possible, it would explain a lot of things but it had to be a hoax. I felt my lips turn down to a frown and without reading the rest of the letter, I threw it all into the trash bin in the corner of my room and walked out at the dinner bell.

Two weeks later, a woman came to the orphanage, looking for someone. This meant that all of us had to put on our best clothes and look nice, and hoped we would get adopted. She joined us for dinner.

"Children, this is Mrs. Hermione Weasley, and she's here to find someone very special." Ms. Denver started clapping, forcing us to join in. I just stared at the woman. She had a sort of frumpy look around her; she couldn't be more than thirty. Her brown hair reminded me of a bush, but her eyes are what enthralled me the most.

She peered down at us, seeming to search our faces and looking deep into our beings. She looked at though she had been though more than I could even think of. When her eyes landed on me, a smile tugged at her lips as our eyes met. She leaned over to Ms. Denver and gestured in my direction. The look on the pudgy woman's face was of pure shock, as she nodded.

After dinner, Ms. Denver led Hermione Weasley to my room and left her there. She looked around for a moment, before spying the letter in my wastebasket. She smiled and picked it up.

"What's this?" She asked me, looking down at me with those knowing eyes.

"A letter. Someone was trying to be mean." I said softly, wondering why she wanted to know.

"I remember when I got this letter myself. I had just turned eleven that year and during the summer, I got this unbelievable letter from a school that said they taught magic. At first I thought that is was pure hogwash. But later I learned, it was real, and I was a witch." Hermione said, handing me the letter. I just stared at her like she was crazy.

"Are you nuts?" I asked her softly, moving away slightly.

"No…could I do this if magic wasn't real…?" She pulled out a stick from her pocket and pointed at my waste basket. She mumbled something in some foreign language and suddenly my waste basket had grown legs and was walking around.

I let out a yelp and pulled my legs away from the floor, "Bloody hell! How did you….what did you….?" I couldn't speak, my eyes glued to my now walking waste basket. All she could do was smile.

"You could learn how to do that, and much more at Hogwarts." She held out her hand, and slowly I took it.

"Could you fix my waste basket first?"


	2. Chapter 1

((AN: So, here's chapter one. Next one is off to Hogwarts and THANK YOU SO MUCH TO The Fourth Black Sister! YOU ROCK FOR LETTING ME KNOW I'M NOT INSANE...though I just might be. Anyway, enjoy and review.))

Chapter One

Everything was slowly starting to come together for me. Hermione explained a lot. She was asked by Hogwarts Headmistress McGonagall to help me get acquainted with being a witch. She normally would do it herself, but she had many things on her plate this year, at least, that's what Hermione told me.

After taking me from the orphanage, we stayed at The Leaky Cauldron, a weird sort of mesh between an inn and a restaurant. She told me to stay away from the pea soup. I did. The next day we visited Diagon Alley to buy everything I needed for school.

I had gotten my robes, cauldron, books, and Hermione even chipped in some of her own money to buy me a lovely tawny owl, "So you can keep in touch." Was all she said.

"I need a wand still." I said, sitting outside of the Ice Cream parlor, finishing my small bowl. Hermione pointed across the way to a small looked store. "There is the only place you need to look, Ollivander's. Sadly the original Ollivander retired but he son still runs the place. I'll go pick up some parchment and quills."

I nodded and headed over to the old shop. It was empty as I pushed open the door. Everything seemed to have a layer of dust and the walls were packed with boxes, presumably holding wands.

"Hello…?" I called out, leaning over the counter slightly to see into the back.

"Ah, welcome. Let's see here. Maybe this one, judging from your voice, perhaps this as well." An old many walked up from the shadows carrying three wand boxes. He looked to be about sixty, and he that sort of air about him that made you feel young.

He opened the first box, not even looking at me and pulled out a slender dark red wand, handing it to me, "Redwood, 14 inches, Dragon Heart String." I didn't know what to do with it, but something didn't feel right.

"Wave it." And I did, causing a lamp to shatter. Thus to say, my feeling was right. Next was a yellow wand, thicker and shorter. "Oak, 9 ½ inches, Unicorn hair." Another wave, and another crash. This went on for about ten minutes, with no avail. Mr. Ollivander frowned and disappeared into the back. I didn't know what to do so, I looked around the shop again.

In the window, sitting on a simple purple pillow, was one wand that looked like it hadn't been moved in 100 years. I walked over to it and gently traced my fingers along the smooth wood. Underneath all the dust, it had a off white look to it. Looking back to see if he was coming, I slowly wrapped my fingers around the hand and lifted the wand off the pillow.

Just then, I heard footsteps but those were drowned out by what was happening in my hand. The wand was letting out an almost angelic like sound to it along with a bright glow. My first thought was to drop it, but my fingers wouldn't release the piece of wood from my hand.

"Miss. That is a very, very old wand you are holding. My great-grandfather made that wand, and no one has ever claimed it. Pine wood, 13 inches, Phoenix feather." I heard Mr. Ollivander say softly behind me. I turned and nodded, "How…how much?"

An eerie smile spread across his face, "Free. Take it my dear, and do good things with it." I nodded, muttering a thank you softly before bolting out of the shop.

Hermione met me outside. "Tabitha, what's your hurry, you look like you've seen a ghost." She said the phase nonchalantly like seeing a ghost wasn't a big deal.

"Um…well, Mr. Ollivander didn't charge me for it…" I said, holding out my wand. She looked at it for a moment, her face scrunching up in thought.

"That's the wand from the window. Wow, it has to be more than 100 years old." She shook her head, "Never mind, come on, lets get some lunch, there are some other people I'd like to introduce you too." She smiled and led me back to the Leaky Cauldron.

We sat at a table, and I told her what had happened in the wand shop.

"Interesting. Very interesting, but getting a wand is always interesting to being with. Harry! Ron, over here!" She stood up suddenly, waving over two men; one had bright red hair, and the other jet black, like my own. Hermione met the red head with a kiss, and I guessed this was the husband she had told me about. The other she simply hugged before they sat down.

"Ron, Harry, this is Tabitha, I'm helping her get used to all this." She introduced me to them. I waved slightly, and gave a small smile. Ron, the red head, smiled and nodded at me, as he was sitting next to Hermione while Harry held out his hand.

"It's nice to meet you Tabitha." I looked at his hand, then back to his face, then back again a few times before slowly shaking his hand. He smiled and released my hand after a moment. My skin tingled slightly, I didn't know why.

We ate lunch and Hermione asked if she could leave me alone for a few hours, she had to check up on work, which is why she called Ron and Harry to watch me. I told her it was fine and then there the three of us were, sitting awkwardly.


	3. Chapter 2

((AN: Chapter Two, longer than the first two. Enjoy and review please. Thank you.))

**Chapter Two**

The three of us sat at the table for a few minutes without talking. Ron looked back and forth between Harry and me, seeming to send his friend signals. I kept my gaze down, forgetting that my eyes were no longer their normal crimson color for a more moderate brown, (Hermione had given me pair of contacts), thinking that the reason they weren't talking was my appearance.

"So, Tabitha, what house do you want to be sorted into?" Ron asked, breaking the silence. I blinked, looking up. What…house? I had no idea what he was really talking about for a minute, then I remembered Hermione saying something about houses at Hogwarts.

"Um, I don't really know what you're talking about…." I said quietly, looking back down at my hands which I was wringing nervously in my lap.

"Oh, the four houses of Hogwarts. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Harry, Hermione and I were all in Gryffindor." Ron said, smiling as he remembered what his school days were like. Harry rolled his eyes and shook Ron out of his memories.

"Well, I really don't know. We'll see around sorting time I guess." I nodded and looked up as the waiter came over with a floating tray with the food we ordered earlier. Once again in silence we started eating our lunch.

"Tabitha, Hermione asked us to finish your shopping with you, if you don't mind." Harry said, gesturing to the large bags in the chair across from me. I nodded, "It's not really much left I think, it may just be some potion ingredients." I said after I finished a bite.

Ron smirked, "That's not all, we have to take you to Weasley Wizard Wheezes. My older brother George runs the place. It's a joke shop." I frowned, "I'm not a big fan of jokes. I've been in the end of many of them and it's not that funny." I said softly, keeping my eyes narrowed at my plate.

I could almost feel the awkward moment between us. This was not going well. I trusted Hermione, and if she trusted them, then I guess I could as well, but I just felt uneasy with them. Ron just seemed like an air head, and Harry, Harry scared me. I don't know why. Just the way his eyes stared down at me, just made my skin crawl.

"That's okay. You'll be off to Hogwarts in a couple of days anyway. You should meet Teddy, he goes to Hogwarts too, he'll be a second year this year and Victoire will be a first year, like you." I noticed Ron did more of the talking, but just from an hour or two, I couldn't tell if it was the norm.

After Harry paid for lunch, both Ron and I refused but were shot down, they took me, by Floo Power back to a house called the Burrow, that the Weasley's grew up in. It looked like the small house had been added onto so many times that it was about to fall over. We were greeted by an older woman, who I guessed was Ron's mother by the graying red hair falling out of the messy bun she had made. Before I could object she took me in a large hug and stated that I needed to get some meat on my bones.

"Really Mrs. Weasley…I'm fine…I just ate…" I tried to protest as she sat me down at the table across from a boy who looked a year older than me. I couldn't help by stare at the fact that he had electric blue hair. He caught me staring and smirked.

"Do you like the color? I could always change it if you don't…" I blinked, confused out of my mind. How could he change it, was it a sort of magic? His eyes glazed over for a moment and then his hair changed to a black that could rival my own. I couldn't stop a small gasp from escaping my mouth.

He just laughed, "I love seeing first reactions!" He held out his hand to shake, "My name is Teddy Lupin! Pleased to meet you!" My eyes flicked back between his and his hand. Slowly and shook his hand, a sort of tingle ran though my body as he gripped my hand for a moment before letting go. For some reason, I didn't want him to.

"My name is Tabitha. Tabitha Ruben." I said softly, staring at the large plate of sandwiches that appeared in front of me.

"Good to me you Tabby." My head shot up as he called me a foreign name.

"What?" I had never had a nickname before. He blinked in surprise.

"Do you…not want me to call you that?" His eyes looked serious, compared to the expression he had before.

"No…it's fine…I'm just not used to it." He nodded before taking a large bite of a sandwich.

"So…what are you doing here?" I could barely make out what he was saying between the food in his mouth.

"Harry and Ron brought me here to wait for Hermione. She's my escort." I answered watching his eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"Escort? For what? Did you grow up a muggle or something?" He laughed for a moment before seeing the serious look on my face as I nodded, "Oh…I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. It's not a big deal, I'm still getting used to the idea of magic." I gave him a small smile, something I rarely did.

"I think we're going to be great friends!" He laughed loudly, and I found myself joining him.

**Teddy's PoV**

I leaned out of the Hogwarts Express Windows and waved to the Weasley/Potter group, "SEE YOU AT CHRISTMAS!" I called out to them before being pulled back into the train by Tabby.

"You could have lost your head." Was all she said before returning to her book. We had become close over the last week, and I had seen her smile a lot more then that first day at the Burrow.

"Geez Tabby, you need to be less pessimistic." I smirked and sat down on the seat across her from her and Victoire. Tabby and Victoire, being in the same year and all, had also become close friends; that was good because Victoire said something about a close girlfriend, I didn't get it.

"So, Tabitha, are you excited about Hogwarts?" Victoire had to have asked her this question about a million times. Every time it was the same, 'I don't know.' Tabby was silent for a moment, looking at her book but not reading it.

"Yes," She finally said, looking up at us, "Now that I know this is real…I am." She cracked a small smile causing Victoire to hug her tightly.

"I knew you'd come around!" She squealed in her very slight French accent that she gained from her mother.

"Yeah well you can let go of me ya' know." Tabby deadpanned. I smirked; Tabby always knew how to handle people.

Victoire pouted slightly but let go, protesting, and muttering something about not hugging her best friend. I didn't think the girl's had known each other that long to be considered best friends. I shrugged, what did I know about a girl's mind?

"I'm going to go find the candy cart, what anything?" I asked as I stood to walk out of the compartment.

"A pumpkin pasty please." Victoire said quickly, she had a thing for sweets. Though how she stayed as thin as a rail confused me.

"I'll go with you. I have no idea what they have." Tabby said standing and setting her book in her seat. I nodded, and led her down the hall; she wobbled slightly from the rocking of the train.

"It takes getting used to." I told her as I grabbed her shoulder before she fell. She nodded and pressed her hand to the wall hard. After a few minutes we found the cart and Tabby ended up buying about half the lot. I was surprised; she never really had an interest in sweets, or from what I could tell. Again, what did I know about girls?

When we got back to the compartment, Victoire was almost bouncing on her seat with excitement. "You missed it!"

"Missed what?" Tabby asked, tossing her friend her pasty before sitting down and starting to devour her own sweets. I rolled my eyes but started eating as well.

Victoire, in a very unlady like fashion her mother would say, started babbling about how a fly car passed the train. This made me burst out laughing, remembering the story Harry and Ron told me about their second year. Both girls stared at me like I was crazy, I just kept laughing. I eventually stopped and told them the story.

"So then the car boots out all their things and takes off into the Forbidden Forest!" Both girls had looks of horror on their faces.

"Remind me never to get into a flying car." Tabby said.

"Ditto."

The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful and when the train stopped, I couldn't help but smirk, knowing what my two friends were about to see. "Enjoy and I'll see you at the feast!"

**Tabitha's PoV**

I looked confused in the direction that Teddy walked off in before jumping at the sound of a booming voice. "First years this way! Hurry up! First year over here!" I looked to see a very large man holding up a lantern. Victoire smiled, "That's Hagrid, he's the Prof. of Care of Magical Creatures." I nodded, still stunned by his size.

We walked down to a dock and in groups of four, we found ourselves staring up at the castle. It was beautiful, full of light. I couldn't speak. The boats glidded along the surface of the lake without a sound. No one was talking, I heard a slightly chuckle though from in front of us, I guess this reaction was natural from the students.

After dismounting the boats, we were led up into the castle by a man who introduced himself as Prof. Longbottom, he said he taught Herbology. Just outside the greathall we stopped.

"I remember standing where you are now. You're nervous and scared. But don't worry, everything will turn out fine. You'll make lifelong friends and so much more. You'll have a family." He smiled, looking at each one of us before leading us into the greathall. I saw Teddy sitting at the far right table with a few other boys. They were all wearing red ties. He spotted me and pointed up. My eyes followed his finger and I couldn't help but gasp. The ceiling looked exactly like the night sky out side. Cloudless and filled with stars.

We all gathered around in the front around a stool and an old hat on top of it. I surpressed a gasp as a seam in the hat opened and it started singing.

"A new year begins at Hogwarts School

Many great wizards and many great fools.

Those who walk these halls, take heed

One will rise to take lead.

Everyone hear knows that tale

Of the boy wizard who prevaled.

Now a new story shall be told

With those of new and those of old.

But now for the present I do throw

Young children now need to know.

Gryfindor house for the brave and bold,

Slytherin house for the pure and old,

Ravenclaw house for the wise and creative,

And Hufflepuff house for the loyal and appreciative.

Only I will put you in your place

For the things that you will face."

The song ended and the hall applaused. I thought long and hard about what it had said. I didn't understand it at all. Prof. Longbottom lifted the hat and started reading names off a scroll, "Maybelle Alverta." A timid looking girl with glasses stepped forward and sat on the stool. The hat was placed on her head, and after a moment it called out,

"HUFFLEPUFF!" Maybelle smiled and almost ran to the yellow and black table that cheered loudly.

"Micheal Beane." A boy with shaggy hair and lots of freckles stepped up and sat on the stool.

"SLYTHERIN!" Cheers erupted from the green and silver.

Names kept being called in order. Soon, the list got to the P's and my heart started beating, after P would be Q, but it's not common for a last name of Q so then would be R. My name. My ears started ringing and it wasn't untill Victoire pushed me did I realize that my names had been called. I walked slowly to the stool and sat down. I felt the hat being placed on my head.

"Hmm, interesting. I haven't found someone like this in eleven years. You could be good in any house, Gryfindor perhaps, I see bravery, but many Slytherin would soot you more."

My heart was racing, my eyes flicking between the tables, I just now thought about Slytherin, and how I didn't want to be there.

"Don't want Slytherin? That's fine. You are a smart girl after all...well then...better be..."


	4. Chapter 3

((AN: Well here you go for those who care...))

Chapter Three

"RAVENCLAW!"

My heart stopped for a moment, I didn't know what to do. The hat was lifted from my head and I walked over to the blue and bronze table. Victoire waved and smiled, and Teddy met my gaze giving me a thumbs up. I nodded to them and sat down at the table. I was met with several smiles and introductions.

The rest of the night went by fast, I didn't get a chance to talk to Teddy or Victoire before the first years were herded off to our common rooms. The Ravenclaw and Gryfindor groups stayed together for a little bit so I could say goodnight to Victoire.

"Good luck! And see you tomorrow!" She called as the Ravenclaws took a right while she stayed straight.

"Now, to enter our common room, one must answer a riddle." Our prefect said as she led us up into a tower, "If you can't answer it, you must wait for another Ravenclaw to let you in."

I looked around, some of the others looked nervous.

"I'm not going to give you all the answer; one of you must answer it tonight." She said, stopping in front of the entrance. Above the door was a stone eagle, it sprang to life when we came up the stairs.

"To enter you must answer correctly, now: Feed me and I Live, Give me Drink and I Die.  
What Am I?" I thought for a moment, and I knew the answer. Everyone else looked confused, the prefect smirked.

"Fire." I said softly, looking up at the eagle. It crowed and the door opened. I got numerous pats on the backs and good jobs before we rushed inside the common room, looking around.

"Girls rooms are to the left, boys on the right. Go to bed now, school starts tomorrow morning. Your things and schedules are in your rooms." The prefect said before joining her friends in front of the fireplace. I walked from the group first and walked up the spiral staircase to my new room. It was on the first landing, I walked inside and sat on the bed that had my name on it. Dark blue curtains hung up on top of the four posters and my trunk and owl were set at the end.

I opened her cage and let her out the window, I watched her fly around before heading up to another tower. I went back to my bed and looked at my schedule.

First block: Transfiguration w/ Hufflepuff

Second block: Potions w/ Slytherin

Third block: Defense Against the Dark Arts w/ Gryfindor

Lunch block

Fourth block: Herbology w/ Gryfindor

Fifth block: Free block

Sixth block: Charms w/ Hufflepuff

I smiled. I had two classes with Victoire, and even had a free block. I had this feeling I was going to like school.

The next morning I met up with Victoire in the hallway.

"Tabby! How was your first night!" She asked me, nearly knocking me over as she hugged me.

"It was fine. You can let go now." I said, shifting my bag over my shoulder. She just smiled, "Teddy said that you should eat breakfast with us!"

"Aren't we supposed to eat with our own houses?" I asked, unsure of what we really were to do.

"Well, technically yes but now the teachers like to encourage inter house friendships. That way everyone likes everyone." She took my arm and started dragging me down the stairs, "You're eating with us and that's that!"

"Al-Alright!" I tried not to trip as she pulled me along, pushing people out of the way, I called apologies behind us. As we entered the Great Hall, Teddy waved us over to him. Again I was dragged over.

"I can walk ya' know…" Victoire only giggled and forced me to sit.

"How was your first night? What is your first class? Let me see your schedule!" Teddy pulled the paper out of my pocket before I could protest.

"Hey, you and Vicky have two classes together!" He said excitedly, showing Victoire, who then dug though her own bag to find her schedule.

"And we have break at the same time. Cool." I rolled my eyes and started eat a small plate of breakfast, watching the others around me. Yeah, school was going to be fun.

~~Two Months Later~~

_I was running. I didn't know why but I knew I had to run. I clutched my wand tightly in my hand as I pushed back branches and bushes. I needed to get away, I couldn't get caught._

"_YOU CAN'T RUN FROM YOURSELF!" I heard a voice call, it only made me run faster._

"_YOU WILL HAVE TO FACE IT SOONER OR LATER! YOU ARE HIS HEIR!"_

I shot up in my bed at the Burrow, drenched in a cold sweat. I tried to calm my beating heart and laid back down. I didn't know what the dream was about. It was Christmas break, and instead of going back to the orphanage, Mrs. Weasley took it upon herself to let me stay with her, seeing as most of the family would be coming to the Burrow anyway. She really is a nice person.

I looked over at the bedside table and saw that the clock said 3:00 AM. I groaned softly to myself and sat back up, getting out of the bed and padding, quietly to the bathroom. I looked at my reflection and sighed. My black hair was matted from tossing and turning, my skin was still pale and shinned with a coat of sweat, and my eyes, their normal red without my regular contacts, were bloodshot from the lack of sleep.

I had been having the same dream for a couple of weeks now, and I don't understand it. What the hell could it mean? Whose heir am I? I turned on the faucet and slashed some cold water in my face. A dream is just a dream, and they didn't mean anything. I knew that was a lie, but I still tried to convince myself of it.

Tomorrow, as I was told, almost the entire family of Weasleys was going to all be under one roof. And I was lucky enough to be apart of this huge family now. It was going to be an interesting day. Laying back in bed, I closed my eyes, and just pictured the people that took me in, and already loved me, to ward off the nightmare.


End file.
